4 Paws Blog

We are thrilled to share that Cape Ann Animal Aid has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support our pre-adoption veterinary care program! The Petco Foundation’s investment will secure essential equipment and supplies needed to expand our current in-shelter veterinary practices for sheltered animals to include minor medical procedures and cat neuter surgeries.

Cape Ann Animal Aid has remained dedicated to curbing pet overpopulation issues over the years, making it a priority to spay and neuter animals prior to their adoption rather than relying on post-adoption voucher systems. In addition, we secure specialized vet care for animals needing more than routine care in preparation for adoption. For nearly twenty years, these surgeries and other procedures have been done in partnership with local veterinary clinics, most prominently with Cape Ann Veterinary Hospital and North Shore Veterinary Hospital, both of Gloucester.

We are so grateful for the relationship we have with these local vets. They’ve provided excellent services, and at a generous discount, for our shelter animals. But, our adoption numbers are growing and we’re running into delays due to space and scheduling issues. The next logical step is to begin performing many of these procedures in-house,” said Sunniva Buck, Executive Director.

​Adopters travel from all over New England to adopt dogs or cats from Cape Ann Animal Aid and we have a strong presence in the local community, hosting school groups and leaning on a legion of nearly 200 volunteers each month. While local rescues are our priority, many of the animals are rescued and transported to Cape Ann Animal Aid from areas battling high-euthanasia and neglect rates such as Texas, Georgia, and Puerto Rico.We have seen impressive growth over the years. In 2010, we placed 769 animals into loving homes. That number has nearly doubled, with 1,535 animals saved and placed into loving homes in 2018. In 2012, our organization moved into a newly constructed shelter in West Gloucester and interest in animal adoption continues to increase.

Adoption is becoming more and more popular in our area and we want to be able to keep up with that momentum so we can save more animals and make more adoption connections,” said Buck. “The investment from the Petco Foundation will help to move animals from the arrival to available stage more quickly. We’ll be able to take in more animals and save more lives as a direct result.”

​In the future, we aim to move a majority of veterinary care for sheltered animals to an internal clinic under the leadership of our Director of Shelter Medicine, Dr. Alex Becket.“Thanks to the Petco Foundation’s investment, the first step of that dream is becoming a reality,” said Buck. “We estimates that cat neuters will begin happening in the shelter later this year. It’s the start of a very exciting time for our shelter and the animals we care for.”Representatives from the Petco Foundation will present Cape Ann Animal Aid with the grant check at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 23 at the Petco located at Gloucester Crossing in Gloucester MA (341 Gloucester Crossing Road). Members of the community are invited to attend.For more information about Cape Ann Animal Aid, visit www.capeannanimalaid.org. For more on the Petco Foundation, visit www.petcofoundation.org and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by using the hashtag #PetcoFamily.

Stir Fry and her kittens were rescued from the south and transported to CAAA. All received spay/neuter surgery prior to their adoption.

Mildred is an adoptable dog at CAAA who benefited from extra veterinary care to address a skin infection.

Heartworm disease is a serious and [if left untreated] potentially fatal disease in pets, spread by mosquitoes. The disease is caused by worms that can grow up to a foot long that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of affected pets, causing severe lung disease, heart failure, and damage to other organs in the body." -- American Heartworm Society

If you're a dog owner, you've probably heard about heartworms. Transmitted through mosquito bites, your vet likely encourages a regular heartworm preventative and here at Cape Ann Animal Aid, we include a preventative in our routine care of all shelter dogs. As with most medical conditions, prevention is key. If not prevented, especially in many southern climates, heartworms will likely develop and if left untreated, can pose serious risk to any dog's health and well-being.

HOGAN'S HEARTWORM HEROESYou may have heard about one of our current shelter dogs named Hogan. We've profiled his case on our social media pages and more prominently on our Gloucester Pride Stride team page where a group of dedicated supporters is walking to raise funds for his medical expenses. The team has cleverly named themselves 'Hogan's Heartworm Heroes'. (At this moment, just over $700.00 of the estimated $1,000 needed to cover the expenses of Hogan's care has been raised.Thank you!)

But what exactly is heartworm and how is it treated? We've fielded a number of questions from our volunteers and supporters regarding this condition over the past few weeks. The answers are important -- and now more than ever-- because we just got some bad news...another dog in our care has tested positive for heartworm. That's right, hot off the heels of Hogan's treatment, Bella, a one-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with a goofy smile and a contagious zest for life, is just beginning her treatment. Detailed and more clinical explanations about heartworm can be found here. But for this blog post, we'll break it down more simply.

Treatment and care for Bella over the next 2-3 months will look like this:

One month on a dose of antibiotics and steroids to weaken the heartworms, kill any bacteria they may have introduced, and reduce inflammation in preparation of treatment.

Two intramuscular injections to kill the adult heartworms.

Six to eight weeks of continued exercise restriction. Heartworms can be up to a foot long and are living in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Exercise and physical exertion of any kind can increase the rate of damage in these organs, posing increased threat to the animal's well-being.

Our goal is to place Bella into a foster home with one of our current staff members or volunteers. Because of the activity restrictions and medical needs, we are not always able to find suitable foster care. If that is the case, Bella will remain at our shelter, just like Hogan did. Regardless, we will be sure that she gets plenty of cuddles and care from all of us here at the shelter!

YOU CAN HELP!In times like this, we are always thankful for friends and supporters. As you know, being sick and feeling unwell is never fun. Hogan and Bella are fighting for their lives and you can help make their journey a little easier. Your support will provide for their medical expenses and care.

As an organization, our participation in the upcoming Gloucester Pride Stride is a targeted effort to raise funds for the veterinary care of all shelter animals, including special cases like Hogan and Bella. ​In addition to Hogan's Heartworm Heroes, there is now a group of supporters walking under the team name of Bella's Best Friends to support Bella's heartworm treatment and care expenses. If you'd like to donate to help either of these animals (or join up to walk with us), follow the links below! ​